Boy devastated as move to new school blocked
NINE-YEAR-OLD Ethan Cottingham is unable to start at a mainstream school because there is no-one to look after him during his dinner break.
Ethan needs constant supervision as he has a tube in his throat from surgery when he was a baby. If the tube becomes dislodged, he could stop breathing.
Despite the tracheostomy, the youngster started school at the same time as others his age and had been attending Blackfriars Special School, in Newcastle, up until the end of the last school year.
He was due to move to St Giles's and St George's Primary School, also in Newcastle, last week before his mum was told that he would not be able to go because there is no-one to look after him at lunchtime.
Instead, he must stay at Blackfriars School until extra help is found.
Julie Cottingham, of Pool Street, Newcastle, says the decision is not acceptable.
The 41-year-old cleaner said: "Ethan started at Blackfriars because everyone felt at the time that it would be the safest environment for him, but he has no special educational needs so he doesn't need to be there.
"His new school had plenty of notice to try to get some help in place but it just hasn't happened."
Ethan, who turns 10 this week, had been attending St Giles's and St George's Primary School half a day, once a week, before the summer break.
During that time, he had been accompanied by a health professional who could offer him one-to-one care and life support if his tube dislodged and he stopped breathing.
But Ethan does not meet the criteria for this help to continue at his new school and although staff there were prepared to undergo the training to look after him in class, there was still a lunchtime gap.
Julie, who has two other children, 15-year-old Jesse and 13-year-old Jasmine, says she does not see why she should have to provide the care at school.
She said: "It is vital Ethan goes to mainstream school because you can't get anywhere in life without a proper education.
"The children at Blackfriars are all lovely but Ethan can't have the friendships and bonds with them like he can at a mainstream school.
"It will affect him for the rest of his life if he doesn't get the start be needs now.
"I work so I can't go into the school to provide care at lunchtime and I don't think it is acceptable to expect me to do it. Ethan is with me every minute outside school because of his needs.
"He wants independence and doesn't want me at school with him as well."
Ethan said: "I was looking forward to going to the new school and don't like not being able to go there."
A spokesman for Staffordshire County Council said: "The council fully supports Ethan's transfer from Blackfriars to a local mainstream school.
"However, there is a need to have support in place to meet his medical needs.
"We are working closely with both schools and the PCT to ensure that this is the case.
"Once it is, Ethan will be able to transfer."
Lynne Evans, headteacher at St Giles's and St George's Primary School, said the school was happy to have Ethan as long as he was safe.
She said: "We try to meet the needs of all children but if they have a life-threatening problem we have to be careful of how we look after them."
NHS North Staffordshire declined to comment, saying the issue was a matter for the county council.
22 Comments
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by annonymous, Alsager
Friday, September 18 2009, 11:21AM
“What I don¿t understand is how anyone is able to judge or accuse Julie about this story when clearly she is a mother trying to do the best for her son. I think it¿s disgusting that she would be ridiculed by anybody for doing everything she can for Ethan.”
by mel, stoke
Wednesday, September 16 2009, 10:03PM
“Ethan would probably be better of staying at Blackfriars, there is more help there than any child could possibly need. The staff are fantastic, medically trained and know what they are doing with the children. Ethans mother sounds to be extremely rude, and has little respect for her childs colleagues. Ethan won't get the help and support he needs from a mainstream school, and when he goes to high school, its a different picture completely. If she wants to go and say the things she has, like in this article, she should go and say it to clive lilley's face, and see what he has to go and say. If I see this women in the street, i'll tell her what I think of her attitude personally.”
by Micheala, Packmoor
Tuesday, September 15 2009, 10:59PM
“Julie, I know Blackfriars is not the problem as tey are giving your son home tutoring!! sensitive, maybe but you have offended a lot of people....... reread you quotes and give it a bit more thought next time. You should know better, dear!!”
by Julie, stoke
Tuesday, September 15 2009, 12:06PM
“Michaela, Black friars is not the problem nor the children in the school, the problem is Ethan needs to move to a mainstream school, you seem a little over sensitive dear!”
by micheala, Packmoor
Monday, September 14 2009, 9:42PM
“Well I totally agree with Mel of Stoke. Not only does Ethan's mum disrespect the students at Blackfriars, she manages to disregard the excellent education provoided there. Blackfriars is one of the top schools in the country (check out the league tables). Our daughter attends Blackfriars and her social circle is huge. Maybe she could practice some social skills and and talk to the other school and while she's at it teach her son some social skills so he can "bond" with his peers! Yes she is attention seeking but I wonder if she would like to repeat her comments to parents and staff at Blackfriars and see if she liked the attention then.”
by mel powell, stoke on trent
Monday, September 14 2009, 7:39PM
“special schools aren't just for children with learning difficulties, but also for children who have medical problems too.
I went to Blackfriars for 4 wonderful years, and never had such a good time. The education is fantastic, you meet some great people, and best of all they make the best of you.
Ethans mother doesn't seem to understand this, and she doesn't seem to understand what a difficult time her son will have when he gets to high school”
by Uncle Nobby, Meir
Monday, September 14 2009, 6:35PM
“Re; TIM and one or two others.
You appear to be good at marking, have you ever thought of taking up teaching?”
by Dereknk, Stoke
Monday, September 14 2009, 6:21PM
“I do hope that all those complaining that there should be funds for this and that will be fully supporting no cuts to public expenditure over the next few years in order to allow for schools and similar establishments to be able to care for children such as highlighted in this case and to train staff dealing with difficult situations accordingly.
Also, I wonder what many people of the people being derogatory would do in the following scenario: You are a secretary in a company and a guy who has brought his child into work for the day says that he has to go out on a rush job so could you look after his child for a bit. He says that he should be OK but he has this condition that could mean he is in a life threatening situation at short notice. I'm sure you'd be more than obliging in saying that you'd be more than happy to place yourself in this position with no training or understanding of what to do should a problem occur.
You have to wonder why a parent so concerned with ensuring that their child has a "normal" upbringing would rush to the newspaper to highlight their plight at the earliest opportunity. Sounds to me like attention seeking.
What a sensible school to want to protect not only the child but their staff from the potentially fatal situation of them not being able to cope with the relatively high risk of a medical emergency surrouding this child - I can only applaud them especially in this day and age of "sue the council since they are an easy target" thinking.”
by Warren, Meir.
Monday, September 14 2009, 6:09PM
“So, I got me i and me y mixed up and missed me s out, so what, you get the drift of whom I'm trying to offend.”
by Amy, newastle
Monday, September 14 2009, 5:52PM
“To melanie, I don't know much about special schools, but I have always thought they were for people with learning difficulties etc, obviously I was wrong. but with this belief I would not want to put my child in a special school if they did not have any learning difficulties, as I would think that the education was catered towards all children with learning difficulties leaving my child left out. The fact is that there should be a fund somewhere that could provide a carer for this boy during his dinner hour, and it should be offered to him by the school without his mother having to search for it herself.”